Emil Brown breaks his bat as he singles in the eighth inning as the Oakland Athletics play the Anaheim Angels on Saturday. Chronicle photo by Kim Komenich

Photo: Kim Komenich, The Chronicle

Emil Brown breaks his bat as he singles in the eighth inning as the...

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Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez emotes after striking out Kurt Suzuki to win the game as the as the Anaheim Angels beat the Oakland Athletics, 4-1 at McAfee Coliseum on Saturday, July 12, 2008.Photo by Kim Komenich / The Chronicle

Photo: Kim Komenich, The Chronicle

Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez emotes after striking out Kurt...

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A's pitcher Dana Eveland pitches in a rough first inning, giving up two runs as the Oakland Athletics play the Anaheim Angels at McAfee Coliseum on Saturday. Chronicle photo by Kim Komenich

A's pitching coach Curt Young, left talks with pitcher Dana Eveland and catcher Kurt Suzuki after Eveland gave up two runs in the first inning as the Oakland Athletics play the Anaheim Angels at McAfee Coliseum on Saturday, July 12, 2008.Photo by Kim Komenich / The Chronicle

A's third baseman Jack Hannahan throws to first as pitcher Dana Eveland gets out of the way in the fifth inning as the Oakland Athletics play the Anaheim Angels at McAfee Coliseum on Saturday, July 12, 2008.Photo by Kim Komenich / The Chronicle

Any vague thoughts the A's had of a sweep in the series against the Angels probably ended when they saw the pitching probables.

Ervin Santana held Oakland down, as usual, in the Angels 4-1 victory Saturday at the Coliseum. Santana, selected to his first All-Star Game a week ago, is 9-1 lifetime against the A's with a 1.36 ERA.

"He's the same every time," Oakland second baseman Mark Ellis said. "For whatever reason, he has our number. It seems like whatever we're looking for, he throws something else. Tonight it was a lot of breaking balls, a lot of sliders, and you expect a guy who throws that hard to use his fastball more. He keeps you off balance."

Oakland fell back to five games behind the Angels, with the deciding game of the three-game series today.

"It would be a really good game to win," Ellis said. "We're by no means out of it if we don't win, but it would be a nice way to go into the break."

Justin Duchscherer, the A's All-Star representative, is scheduled to work the final game before the break. Yet another All-Star left-hander Joe Saunders, was slated to go for the Angels but he was scratched after his wife, Shanel, gave birth to a daughter in Orange County on Saturday evening. Dustin Moseley will be called up from Triple-A Salt Lake City to face the A's.

Duchscherer, Santana and Angels reliever Francisco Rodriguez will be on the same chartered flight for New York after the game. Rodriguez recorded his 37th save, an ongoing major-league record for most saves before the break.

The A's had few chances against Santana until late in the game. Ellis and Daric Barton singled to open the seventh and Jack Hannahan moved them up with a groundout, but Santana struck out Donnie Murphy. Kurt Suzuki ripped a 1-2 pitch toward the corner in left, but the ball landed a few feet foul and he, too, struck out, and he bounced his bat off the dirt in frustration.

The next inning, Emil Brown reached on an infield single and Carlos Gonzalez ended Santana's shutout with a double to center, his second double of the night and his 17th of the season.

Jack Cust struck out in the third inning, his 114th strikeout of the season. He's one short of the league record for most strikeouts before the break. Bo Jackson had 115 with Kansas City in 1987.

Cust has a great shot at the mark - he has struck out at least once in 19 consecutive games, an ongoing career high. That's an Oakland record for a non-pitcher, passing Reggie Jackson's mark of 18 straight with a strikeout from Sept. 9-26, 1970. Starter Vida Blue had streaks of 34 games (1971) and 19 games (1972).

The first inning is often unkind to Eveland, who has allowed 12 of his 44 runs in the first. "I've had a few rough first innings," he said. "I don't know what it is, if it's something in my preparation for the game, or if I don't get locked in early."

Eveland said once he ramped down his effort level, he was more comfortable and more effective, sacrificing a little velocity for better location, and he might try doing that from the get-go next time out.

Before the game, A's manager Bob Geren mentioned that Santiago Casilla has been much improved lately compared with his first few games after coming off the disabled list June 19. Casilla took over for Eveland with two on and one out in the sixth and got Robb Quinlan to hit into a double play.

The next inning, Casilla did not fare so well. Maicer Izturis knocked an infield single off Casilla's foot, and after a sacrifice bunt by Aybar, Vladimir Guerrero was intentionally walked. Casilla struck out Hunter, but gave up a run scoring single by Rivera.

That prompted Geren to get Brad Ziegler, who retired Kendrick with a grounder to second. Ziegler hasn't allowed a run in 201/3 innings, the longest span of zeros to start to a career since Victor Cruz began his career with 201/3 scoreless innings for Toronto in 1978.

Casilla, who began the season with a 171/3 inning scoreless streak, has allowed 14 hits and eight runs in eight innings since coming off the DL.

The Angels placed Chone Figgins on the bereavement list and Figgins traveled to Florida to be with his ailing father. Infielder Sean Rodriguez came up from Salt Lake.

An A-plus

Ervin Santana has dominated the A's throughout his four-year, major-league career. Here are the numbers for his starts: